How 'brain candy' helps petsJune 18, 2018The female pit bull had a tough-chick approach to life: Be aggressive first; ask questions later. Her owner was a dog trainer and had taught her well as far as obedience training, but the dog was aggressive toward other dogs in the home and toward some humans.
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Why an oral tumor diagnosis isn't always straightforwardJune 6, 2018When I was in veterinary school, my naïve impression of the process for obtaining a histopathologic diagnosis of tumors was this: fix the specimen in formalin, section and stain the tumor, look into the microscope, and obtain a definitive diagnosis.
Caring for the geriatric petJune 1, 2018Puppies and kittens are adorable, but I can’t help loving another group—geriatric pets. There’s something about the weak and the wobbly, the skinny and the stinky.
The purebred paradoxMay 11, 2018Purebreds are overrepresented in popular culture. Though a few of the Hollywood elite may proudly promenade their “rescue mutts” as they shop Rodeo Drive, most lay claim to full-blooded epitomes of dogdom.
The trials of therapeutic dietsMay 8, 2018Client misconceptions and behaviors can be the biggest barrier to successful outcomes when prescribing therapeutic diets for dermatologic disease.
High-tech remote health monitoringMay 7, 2018A cat visits the litterbox more often and for a longer duration than normal. A dog makes extra visits to the water bowl and is up and down a bit more often than usual.
How to fix oronasal fistulasMay 4, 2018This month’s column discusses the surgical approach to treatment of the most common manifestation of oronasal fistulas: those that occur in the area of the maxillary canine tooth in dogs.
Soothe the itchMay 1, 2018Whether it’s from allergies, bacterial infections, or external parasites such as fleas or mites, pruritus is easily among the top 10 problems veterinarians see in dogs and cats. Atopic disease alone is the No. 1 most common condition in dogs and the eighth most common in cats.
Ticks' increasing threatApril 25, 2018Masters of ride-sharing well before Uber and Lyft came along, ticks hitch rides with white-tailed deer, migrating birds, and other animals, making their way to locales where they didn’t exist in the past. Now, one or more tick species are found in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.
As U.S. pet obesity balloons, vets, owners talk diet, nutritionApril 20, 2018The dog and cat pet obesity epidemic in the U.S. continues to grow, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). In the organization's 2017 annual clinical survey, 56 percent of dogs and 60 percent of cats were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarian. In 2016, APOP found 54 percent of dogs and 59 percent of cats were overweight or obese. In the survey, pet owners and veterinary professionals were questioned about diet and nutrition, sources of pet food advice, the benefits of corn, dry versus canned, whether pet food has improved, the best sources of pet dietary recommendations, and more. Among the findings: 58 percent of pet owners and 54 percent of veterinary professionals reported having tried to help their own pet lose weight via low-calorie and weight loss diets combined with increased exercise. 25 percent of pet owners and 43 percent of veterinary professionals said they were "too busy" to exercise their dog; 21 percent of pet owners and 19 percent of veterinary professionals cited behavior issues as a barrier. Inadequate access to exercise areas and physical limitations of the owner and pet rounded out the reported challenges. 48 percent of …